151. Cycling, Concussions, & Mental Illness with Ben Frederick

In this episode of the Female Athlete Nutrition podcast, I talk with Ben Frederick, professional cyclist and advocate for brain injuries and mental health. Ben talks about his athletic background, dabbling in running before finding cycling during college, then progressing to the elite level. However, as Ben shares, his identity as a professional cyclist came crashing down following a life changing accident injuring his brain. Ben discusses the long-term impact this traumatic brain injury (TBI) had on his everyday life, and his mental and physical health, raising awareness of the signs and symptoms of concussions and post-concussion syndrome. 

Ben opens up about his struggles with depression and anxiety post TBI, which took root in an eating disorder that hospitalized him. We touch on the nutrition culture within the weight-sensitive sport of elite cycling, and how losing his athletic identity affected his relationship to food and his body. Ben bravely shares how he was able to recover from rock bottom with the help of friends, family, and professionals. We discuss the importance of addressing the anxieties and disordered mindsets underlying eating disorders, in order to develop long-term effective coping strategies: eating disorders are not! Ben talks about how was able to look his “Monsters” in the face and learn to live with them, the inspiration behind his nonprofit “The Small Monsters Project”, providing community and advocacy for individuals affected by concussions, traumatic brain injuries, and mental illness.  We finish off with the usual end of the podcast questions, plus a bonus one!

Find out more about “The Small Monsters Project”: https://www.thesmallmonstersproject.com/

Follow Ben on Instagram @benjamfred The Small Monsters Project @thesmallmonstersproject and me, your host Lindsey Cortes, on Instagram @female.athlete.nutrition 

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In this episode we talk about:

2:20 Ben’s athletic journey to pro cycling

11:15 Ben’s life changing crash and concussion

15:55 Concussion symptoms and post-concussion syndrome 

19:20 Injuries and mental health 

23:20 Nutrition culture in cycling

25:25 Eating disorders as a coping mechanism 

32:15 Ben’s rock bottom and eating disorder treatment 

36:10 Eating disorder recovery and mental health healing

41:25 The Small Monsters Project: supporting individuals with concussions, brain injuries, and mental health 

47:30 End of the podcast questions